Significant changes to some of Augusta National's par-4 holes are planned for next year.

But exactly which holes Masters Tournament officials will alter remains to be seen.

Four of the 10 par-4 holes - Nos. 10, 1, 11 and 17 - played the toughest this week, in that order. The course's four par-5 holes played the easiest.

The six other par-4 holes finished in the middle in terms of difficulty, with nearly all playing relatively easy. Only the par-4 fifth joined the top four among the nine most difficult holes.

One hole that seems a safe bet for change is the par-4 18th. The 405-yard, uphill hole used to be one of the toughest closing holes in golf.

As late as the mid-1980s, the second shot to the hole required a midiron or more, depending on conditions. Now, golfers routinely hit pitching wedge or less into the hole.

This year, it was the 13th-hardest hole, with an average score of 4.014. It yielded 55 birdies against 49 bogeys and five double bogeys.

Nos. 1, 10, 11 and 17 would seem to be unlikely candidates for change. No. 1 is considered a tough opening hole, and No. 17 was beefed up two years ago when other changes were made to the course. Nos. 10 and 11, both long par-4s, have historically played among the toughest at the Masters.

The cumulative scoring average for this year, 72.494, was the third lowest in tournament history. The record came in 1992, with an average of 71.909, followed closely by 1991's average of 72.217.

Greens softened by rain earlier in the week and the absence of high winds during the four tournament days made the course favorable to low scores, golfers said.

``They are very similar. The wind is blowing the same way,'' said Tom Lehman, who shot a 68 on Sunday. ``You are playing the same course for four straight days.''

The top three finishers - Tiger Woods, David Duval and Phil Mickelson - would have won any Masters save a handful.

Woods' total of 272 was the fourth best in history, and Duval's 274 matched totals posted by Ben Hogan in 1953 and Ben Crenshaw in 1995. Both Hogan and Crenshaw were winners.

Mickelson, who flirted with becoming the first golfer to post four rounds in the 60s at the Masters, shot 70 on Sunday for a 275 total.

``The course is probably playing at its softest,'' Robert Allenby said. ``You wouldn't think it would be, but it is. (When) the conditions are the same, it is pretty easy.''